Ferrari 360 Modena

Road Test: 2004 Ferrari Challenge Stradale vs. 2004 Porsche GT3

Narrowing the gap between race car and street machine

"It's a street-legal race car!" is one of bench-racing's most abused and overused claims. Trust us: Anyone who thinks his front-drive V-6 Monte Carlo has anything in common with Little E's #8 NASCAR Cupper is delusional. While it's true that some street cars (let's say, a Dodge Viper) will outperform many race cars (let's say, an SCCA production-class Austin Healey Sprite) generally speaking, cars designed for the track have little relevance to cars intended for the road.

The days of driving your Porsche Super 90 or Ferrari 250 SWB to a professional road race, competing effectively, and cruising home with your trophy were over in the 1960s; but, today, there's a clear racers-for-the-road renaissance taking place. Production based, GT-class racing is enjoying an increase in worldwide popularity and OEM involvement. So the marketplace is filled with great sports cars with direct connections to their racing versions--and vice versa.This story pits two of them nose to nose. Each shares its corporate stable with tamer ("standard" 360 Modena and Carrera models) and track-only variants (see sidebar) and is the highest-performing version of its respective platform to which you can legally attach license plates in this country.We've covered the specs and techs of the Challenge Stradale and GT3 in detail (the Ferrari in August 2003, the Porsche in July 2003), but a quick refresher is in order.

Even though Porsche has named its naturally aspirated, supermodel 911 the GT3, it follows the philosophy set over the years by the designation "RS": Strip away nonessentials, uprate the suspension, and, when possible, add power. The GT3 is based on the structurally stiffer Carrera 4 platform, although it's offered only in rear-drive form. You'll spot it by its Porsche Supercup racer front fascia, high fixed rear wing, revised rocker panels, lowered ride height, and 18-inch rolling stock.Porsche engineers worked hard to make the GT3's 3.6-liter flat-six something special, and special it is. Reciprocating mass was reduced in the name of quicker and higher revs. A revised VarioCam system offers a wider range of valve-timing adjustments, and the engine-management programming, two-stage resonance intake, exhaust system, clutch, and gear ratios all get worked over. Dampers, springs, and anti-roll bars are firmed up considerably, with the last two being adjustable.Brake upgrades include the swap to six-piston calipers up front, and Porsche's Ceramic Composite Brake system is optional, although it wasn't fitted to our tester. The resulting 380-horsepower GT3 weighs in at 3043 pounds. That gives it a weight-to-power ratio of 8.0:1, compared with the standard Carrera coupe's 9.4, although the GT3 is actually around 80 pounds heavier, due to the more robust platform and large tires.Ferrari's Challenge Stradale stems directly from its 360 Challenge spec racer, based, of course, on the 360 Modena coupe. Think of the CS as the Maximum-Strength Modena, with several components coming straight off the race car.

The CS's 3.6-liter V-8 gets a bump in compression, revised intake manifolding and exhaust system, more aggressive engine-management programming, and a host of detail changes that crank its high-winding output from 400 to 425 horsepower. As with the track-only Challenge, the single tranny choice is an F1 six-speed sequential manual gearbox; this one's standard mode matches the regular Modena's Sport setting, and the CS's "Race" model allows for even more commando-style shifts.Like the GT3, the CS enjoys a lower ride height and a general stiffening of its underpinnings. Gorgeous 19-inch BBS wheels barely contain the huge Brembo ceramic brake discs that, save for their use of lug bolts instead of a center locking hub, come right off the Enzo. The rear-window glass is swapped for Perspex, and the purposeful interior is a study in carbon-fiber panels, painted floors, and rubber mats; even the radio gets the toss. Strap into the leather-lined, carbon-fiber-shelled sport seat, face the custard-colored 10,000-rpm tach, finger the F1's shifter paddles, and you'll find yourself reaching for your helmet and Nomex gloves.The CS's diet and workout plan have it making 425 horsepower and weighing in at approximately 3000 pounds wet. That gives it a weight-to-horsepower ratio of 7.1:1, as compared with the 360 Modena coupe's 7.6.At the Track Simply put, these are among the quickest, best-handling, and best-stopping street-legal cars we've ever tested.

Porsche claims the GT3 will run 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds. We're here to tell you that's just so much braunschweiger: Try 3.9, barely slower than the almighty all-wheel-drive Turbo. The GT3 storms ahead to a 12.07-second quarter mile at 116.04 mph. What amazes is how torquey this engine feels. Its 284-pound-foot rating doesn't sound all that impressive, but it certainly gets to the ground. And the power curve is as wide as Montana, too: strong at the bottom, yet revvy and powerful right to its sonorous 8200-rpm redline.The Ferrari screamed (more about that later) its way from launch to 60 in 4.3 seconds on to a quarter-mile run of 12.53 at 114.14 mph. Although it has a special button dubbed "Launch Control," Senior Road Test Editor Chris Walton still had to work it a bit to get just the right combination of revs and wheel spin at sendoff. These are road racers, not dragsters; the Porsche's slick-shifting six-speed manual and the Ferrari's race-inspired F1 box are more suited for a road course than a quarter-mile's bleach box. It's also worth mentioning that we've tested standard 360 Modenas to slightly quicker times than this and suspect that this well-abused, early-build example's clutch was well on its way to heaven. We're confident that if all were right, this is a 3.9-4.0-second car.In the braking department, the GT3 managed a 60-to-0 stop in a commendable 113 feet; 100 to 0 took 318. The pedal is firm and easy to modulate, and a modicum of fade crept in after a few of those high-speed decels. This tester was equipped with the standard cast-iron rotors, as opposed to the optional PCCBs.The Challenge Stradale used its high-tech high-buck composite units to great effect for a 60-to-0 stopping distance of 107 feet, with the 100-to-0 stop taking 298. But numbers can't convey the feeling of these binders. They respond quickly and grab hard. Due to their heat-dispelling nature, they're virtually fadeproof however much you abuse them, although modulation takes a little getting used to.It's the 600-foot-slalom times that blew us away. The Ferrari cleared the cones at 72.7 mph, the second-fastest time we've ever recorded for a factory-certified, street-legal car (it was beaten only by a particularly good Viper GTS coupe that cut a 73.6, a figure we've never been able to repeat with any other Viper).

"At the limit, the Stradale is supremely balanced and neither under- nor oversteers," notes Walton. "It slides so predictably, and there's always a bucket of power to make everything work as it should. It's a masterpiece of chassis tuning and weight management."The less-flamboyant GT3 also gets the road-holding job done. It's 71.6-mph pass places it number five on the all-time greatest hits list, running neck and neck with Ford's new GT. Walton calls it "the best Porsche I've ever put through the slalom. Without the oversteer bogeyman hanging over my head, I could really concentrate on the times. Sure, it'll oversteer, but not if you've got your foot on the gas." Porsche seldom misses on steering feel or quickness, but initial turn-in feels a bit lazy compared with the tack-sharp Ferrari.As different as these cars are in terms of engine design, transmission choice, and chassis layout, they turned in similar times in our Figure-Eight test. The Porsche just nips the Ferrari, completing the complex, mini-road-course run in 23.9 seconds, versus the Stradale's 24.2. Both notched identical 0.95g stick ratings on the skidpad. It all means that, when acceleration, braking, grip, and transitional stability are synthesized, these two are remarkably similar performers.On the Road Away from the track and onto our favorite coastal mountain roads, we learned more about the personality differences between this fiercely competent German and the wildly emotional Italian.

Thumb the Challenge Stradale's console-mounted starter button, and you'll think you're on the GT grid at Le Mans. This must be among the loudest OEM exhaust systems known to man. It whoops and wails as you drive up and down the tach and will encourage you to find canyons and tunnels to drive through, just so you can hear its siren song bounce back at your ears. Ferrari's placement of the engine's intake duct just over your left shoulder, with its reedy induction howl, only adds to the effect.Every driver input is x-Acto sharp: The steering reacts right now, with excellent feel and turn-in, but no kickback. As discussed, the brakes reward pedal smoothness with hard, dive-free (if a bit squeaky) stops. The CS is supremely neutral, right up to its high cornering limits, and always tells you what it's doing. There's minimal body roll, and its high-speed stability is faultless. The ride quality isn't as bad as you might expect, though it is noisy inside, given the minimum of sound deadening and maximum engine noise. The Ferrari's biggest suspension foible is a hard, audible clack through the chassis when encountering sharp road inclusions, as with Bott's dots.We love a well-done conventional stick shift as much as anyone, but there's no denying the value of the CS's race-derived smg box on a race track or when slicing up your favorite canyon road. This one is the best behaved of any we've driven and allows the driver to further concentrate on cornering and braking. Part throttle upshifts are gentle; pulling the paddle on a full-throttle 2-3 shift is like chambering a round in a .375 Holland & Holland bolt-action rifle. Every downshift gets a blip of the gas and computer-perfected rev-matching. The aforementioned sport seats hold you firmly in place, tying your chassis to the car's, yet they prove comfy on a long haul. And the driving position, with the engine at your back and a clear view of the road ahead, further conveys the Challenge Stradale's racing connection.The Porsche's big six splutters and gurgles wonderfully; it's not as loud nor as boisterous as the Ferrari, but its cammy, throaty demeanor is intoxicating in its own way. The GT3 will potter around town all day, feels muscular in the midrange, and issues a hard, edgy moan in the upper reaches of its considerable rev range. Even Porsche traditionalists who still chant "Air Cooled! Air Cooled!" have to love what Stuttgart hath wrought with this powerplant.

In spite of its rear weight bias, the Porsche too is commendably neutral, and its wide rear rubber ensures high limits. As noted, its steering isn't as sharp as the Ferrari's, but it's fluid and well-connected. We've driven GT3s with the composite brakes, and they're exceptional, but the standard units are fine for all but the most extreme use. Body roll is held to a minimum.Like the Ferrari, it's noisy inside, but in the Porsche's case, most of the din comes from the tires, plus a little wind noise. The ride quality remains acceptable if your roads are smooth, but probably wouldn't be if they're not. For all its performance capability, it may be the most vice-free 911 ever. One fly in the GT3's ointment is a lack of high-speed stability above 120, or at least the sensation of same. It's always moving around a bit, and you feel like you're constantly watching it; perhaps it's a bit of ride steer, as it moves up and down with the road surface. We also wish we could get Porsche's own carbon-shelled demi-racing seats, but they're available only on European models, not being crash-certified for U.S. consumption.Should you be inclined to drive either of these road racers every day, mind their noses. We scraped off the lower portion of the GT3's front spoiler, and the CS's front fascia drags on nearly any driveway approach.

Over our best Figure-Eight laps, the German car outgrips the Italian by a fraction of a g in braking and cornering, while the Maranello machine triumphs in acceleration pull. Note, however, that the Stuttgart entry actually sneaks to a higher peak speed because it doesn't require a shift. While the Porsche registered a bigger initial braking g (particularly represented in our Figure-Eight test) for more than the briefest use, the Ferrari's stopping felt stronger to Road Test Editor Walton. So what's the bottom line between these two? Hands down: the GT3 delivers the overall lower lap time and higher average-g level.VerdictThis kind of car should make you scream "Holy Thit" and reach for a cigarette, even if you don't smoke. Based on that criterion--assuming cost is no object--the Challenge Stradale carries the vote.

Anyone who thinks Ferraris have gotten soft, or somehow strayed too far from the racebred purposefulness set forth by those classic 250 SWBs and GTOs of the past, need only take a CS out for a Sunday morning mind-clearer. It screams excitement--literally and figuratively--from every bolt and grommet. Unless your last name is Andretti, this cavallino rampante is likely a better driver than you are. The only thing that could be more thrilling is an Enzo, but they're $650K--and sold out.This declaration doesn't make the Porsche any sort of loser, although it doesn't peg the passionmeter like the Ferrari does. The GT3 virtually matches the Challenge Stradale's performance, winning some track-test categories, and giving up a few. It's not as wild a child from a visceral standpoint, but it too is a committed driver's car. This may be the best, most-focused (and best-sounding) naturally aspirated 911 since the rare and magical Carrera RS 2.7 of 1973--and, by the way: If cost is an object, please note that the Porsche GT3 will extract around 45-percent less cash from your stash than will the Ferrari.If you've ever doubted the expression "racing improves the breed," take it from us that the Ferrari Challenge Stradale and the Porsche GT3 are living, driving, magnificent proof that this is as true a statement as was ever spoken.Theme and Variations There's more to these cars than just Modena and Carrera Neither the GT3 nor the Challenge Stradale would be as good if Porsche and Ferrari didn't actually build race variants of them. In fact, each offers a couple: one for its own single-marque, spec-racer series, another for GT class professional competition.The Challenge Stradale is the result of a "Circle of Life" evolution. Ferrari Challenge spec racers of a decade ago consisted of safety and go-fast bits that came in a box to be bolted onto a gentleman racer's 348. Even later 355 Challenge machines were street cars converted to race spec.When Ferrari introduced the 360 Modena in 2000, it elected to offer the 360 Challenge version as a factory-assembled, stand-alone model. At that point, it became a more highly developed--and no longer street-legal--racer. The next logical step was to take the hardware developed for the Challenge track car and use it to create the Challenge Stradale as a higher-performing, more-committed street version of the Modena. Street car becomes race car, which begets street car.Like Ferrari's Challenge competition, Porsche runs its own Supercup spec series. Supercup cars are not all that far removed from production 911s, save for safety gear and closely controlled suspension mods and weight reduction. Cup races are run in support of F1 events, including the USGP. Several components used on the GT3 come directly from the Porsche Supercup Carreras.As mentioned, Maranello and Stuttgart also duke it out in the GT ranks of several pro series. Porsche launched the GT3R in 1999, just as the 996-platformed Carrera came to market, and has had its way with the ALMS/IMSA GT3 (since renamed GT) class ever since. GT3Rs have won the class at Le Mans five years in a row, bagged the ALMS/IMSA class championship four of the last five years, and scored an impressive overall victory in the Grand Am series's Rolex 24 at Daytona enduro in 2003. The original GT3R evolved into the GT3 RS, and, for this year, has undergone further development to become the GT3 RSR, the later recalling the name of the successful 911 RSR racer of three decades ago.Last year, Ferrari began offering a factory-developed GT version of the 360 Challenge car, meant to take on the GT3 RS in the various IMSA/ACO/FIA classes in which it's been so dominant. Although the 360 GT wasn't consistently able to match the well-seasoned Porsche in terms of speed or durability, its maiden season was a qualified success and included several IMSA podium finishes, and the Grand Am GT class championship. For 2004, the Ferrari has been renamed the 360 GTC. Another year's development and on-track experience should further level the playing field. More important, a hearty Porsche-versus-Ferrari rivalry is proving to be the catalyst for renewed factory interest in professional sports-car racing by several manufacturers.

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